Lifestyle blog of versatile blogger and author of three books, Roma Gupta Sinha who has been felicitated with numerous awards and recognition for her candid thought-provoking writings and her quantum of work including the coveted 'Woman of the Year 2015' and 'Planet's Pride Award 2018'. She is also the founder of Roma's Communication Academy(RCA) which ardently endeavors to aid 6-60-year-olds bridge the gap between their intellect and expression.

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Saturday, 15 September 2018

Let’s Bid Bappa GoodBye in the Most Environment Friendly Way 🙏

Voila! Ganpati is here and it is that time of the year when my heart drowns itself into the joys of festivities and goes ooh la la doing a happy dance. More than 7 years in Pune and I am still in awe of the majesty and grandeur of the Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations in the entire Maharashtra state though feeling every bit a part of it now. Welcoming Ganpati each year, worshipping him with a pure heart, relishing Modaks as his prasad and then finally bidding him goodbye with a promise that he visits us again the coming year, has become such a vital part of our lives now. No words can aid me to express how heart-warming and divine the entire experience is.

On the con side of these regal Celebrations is the Viserjan of Bappa is natural water bodies like rivers and seas rendering it unfit for consumption. Each year, over 75 lakh Ganesha idols made of Plaster of Paris, are immersed in water bodies in and around Pune at the conclusion of the 11-day festival, leaving behind tonnes of non – degradable waste. Reports show that in and around Pune, water bodies showed a 100X increase in heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead, known to affect nerves and kidneys, post-Anant Chaturdashi. This is a fact that cannot be negated or ignored under any circumstances.

This is a cause very close to my heart and I have for years worked to generate awareness around this. Thus when last year while planning the Viserjan, I came to know about the ECO PONDS initiative of VODAFONE in association such Pune’s Municipal Corporation, I was extremely impressed by this candid attempt to save our environment and generated awareness about the same through my blog, all social media handles and also in several WhatsApp Groups. I owed this clean and environment-friendly goodbye to our Bappa, our creator and wanted to do my bit. This year too ‘ECO PONDS’ are in place are put in place by Vodafone, all we got to do is, pledge to bid Bappa goodbye in an environmentally friendly way and search for your nearest ECO POND hereor call them at 7391000000 and save our precious Pune from contamination.

Researches have already proved your interest in the same. Vodafone Idea’s research in Pune suggested that residents have been on the lookout for solutions to prevent pollution, even while permitting them to continue with their social/religious practices.

‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ initiative was born from these findings and a determination to find an environmentally friendly solution that will also preserve the sanctity surrounding Ganeshotsav. Conceived in partnership with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), ‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ in Pune were used for immersing over 3100 Ganesha idols, during Ganeshotsav 2017.

This year too, Vodafone Idea Ltd has set up ‘Vodafone Eco-Ponds’, a temporary water tank setup equipped with a promoter and a lifeguard, at 7 Vodafone stores across the city. Starting September 13th, Punekars can visit any of these store locations with their Ganesh idols, where they will be assisted to carry out the Visarjan.

Additionally, 4 mobile ‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ have been introduced this year. Housing societies in Pune can get the facility of the mobile ‘Vodafone Eco Pond’ within their premises to carry out Visarjan in an eco-friendly manner.

Ganeshotsav is the most anticipated annual festival for Punekars. As the largest and most preferred telecom network in Maharashtra, and a responsible corporate citizen, ‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ helped recycle 13 tonnes of PoP and generated 1 lakh litres of fertiliser post Ganeshotsav 2017. This resource was subsequently distributed to farmers in Maharashtra.

Vodafone stores located at NIBM, Wakdewadi, Aundh, Kharadi, Baner, Kalyani Nagar & Chinchwad link road have been equipped with ‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ (See Annexure). Bappa devotees can also search for the closest ‘Vodafone Eco Pond’ by using the Maps here or dial 7391000000 for information on ‘Vodafone Eco Ponds’ locations.

Currently, I am working towards, having the mobile ECOPOND service available for my residential society, request all of you to share this worthy initiative to as many Punekars as possible. Let’s all join hands and promise ourselves as well as Bappa that we shall bid you goodbye without harming the beautiful world created by you and also won’t let our fellow being do it. We will educate them, aid them and support them to use the ECOPONDS.